Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) vs Prairie State College

Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) and Prairie State College (PSC) are two community colleges located in Illinois, each offering a diverse range of academic programs and opportunities. While both institutions share similarities, there are also some key differences that prospective students should consider when making their college choice. This side-by-side comparison will delve into the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates of SWIC and PSC, providing valuable insights to help you find the best fit for your educational goals. Whether you're interested in pursuing a career-focused program or transferring to a four-year university, this comprehensive comparison will equip you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your higher education journey.

	Prairie State College	Southwestern Illinois College
Overview
Location	Chicago Heights, Illinois	Belleville, Illinois
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	2 year	2 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	53.0%	63.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	Not required
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $25,562 Out of state: $27,284	In state: $17,496 Out of state: $17,046
Average net price	$7,059	$7,124
Tuition	In state: $8,610 Out of state: $10,332	In state: $6,120 Out of state: $5,670
Room & board
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	60.0% Average amount $6,684	44.0% Average amount $4,815
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,749	9.0% Average amount $2,997
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	0.0% Average amount $12,109

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,618 Men 34.9% Women 65.1%	7,213 Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	2.1%	3.0%
International students	1.4%	0.6%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Illinois Indiana Missouri	Illinois Missouri Florida Indiana

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science Automotive Technology Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Health Professions Liberal Arts Precision Production Law Enforcement and Firefighting Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	16.9%	29.0%
Dropout rate	51.8%	40.5%
Transferred out	20.1%	17.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $58,132 Year 2: $56,867 Year 3: $60,449 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $48,414 Year 2: $53,697 Year 3: $57,487 Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $23,649 Year 3: $24,160 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $29,171 Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: $24,036 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $37,124 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $17,950 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $52,365 Year 2: $53,608 Year 3: $61,309 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $39,728 Year 2: $46,673 Year 3: $49,995 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $46,105 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $44,584 Year 2: $43,087 Year 3: $45,313 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $37,392 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $37,204 Year 2: $32,711 Year 3: $36,895 Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $33,314 Year 2: $35,213 Year 3: $36,833 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $35,679 Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $39,135 Year 2: $30,554 Year 3: $34,972 Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,964 Year 3: $34,115

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